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(No Model.) 2-SheetsSheet 1. E.DELIRA,J1*.

Oar Coupling. No. 238,364. Patented'March 1,1881.

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NJETERS, PHOTO-LITMOGRAPHFR. WASHINGTON. D C.

NTTED STATES PATENT amon EUGENE DELIRA, JR, OF BEEKMANTOWN, ASSIGNOR OFTWO-THIRDS TO GEORGE A. DELIRA, OF SAME PLACE, AND GEORGE L. CLARK, OF

PLATTSBURG, NEW YORK.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 238,364, dated March 1,1881.

Application filed December 13, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE DELIRA, J r., a citizen of the United States,residing at Beekmantown, in the county of Clinton and State of New York,have invented a new and useful Gar-Coupler, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in carcouplers in which ahorizontally and vertically 1o articulating spring-hook of one carengages with a corresponding step or catch in the bumper-head of anothercar; and the objects mainly of my invention are, first, to enable twocars to'be coupled by being simply pushed together, and without theassistance of a laborer to manipulate the coupling; second, to effectsuch coupling of two cars not only when their platforms are of the sameheight, but also when their platforms differ in height; and, third, to

effect an uncoupling of two cars by the use of the same brake-spindlewhich is used to bring into action the brakes of a car.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in

which- Figure 1 is an elevation of two railway-cars provided with andcoupled by my improved coupler, parts of the car trucks and brakes beingomitted in order to fully expose the 0 mechanism of the coupler. Fig. 2is a bottom view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged horizontal centrallongitudinal section of the draw-bar and hook-bar of my coupler; andFig. 4 is an elevation of the same, a portion of 3 5 the platform beingshown in section 5 and Fig.

5 is an end view of the platform of a car with my coupler appliedthereto in connection with mechanism for uncoupling. Fig. 6 is a diagramof a hook-bar of a modified construction.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views. I

A indicates a railway-car platform; B, the supporting-trucks; b, thewheels; and G, the

brake-spindle, provided with a brake-chain, c.

To the lower surface of the platform A a draw-bar, D, is provided, whichmoves in horizontal guides E E E so constructed that the front end ofthe draw-barcan be swung out of (No model.)

its normal position to one side and back again.

Its rear end, d, is cylindrical and of less diam- 5o eter than the bodyof the draw-bar, and is provided with a spring, (1, which is securedbetween two oblong washer-plates, d 01 loosely upon the end d. A pin, dis inserted into the end d, so as to prevent thecasual separation of theplate (I and draw-bar. The plates (1 d extend each side of the draw-barinto a guide and stop frame, F, having vertical sides f, which serve asabutments to said plates, and thus when the bar D is pulled forward theplate 61 and spring (1 will be moved forward,

by means of the pin (1 against the plate d which itself is preventedfrom forward movement by the two forward vertical sides f of the frameF, and when the draw-bar is pushed backward the shoulder d caused by theformation of the reduced end cl, pushes the plate d and the spring dagainst the plate 61 which is prevented from moving backward by means ofthe two rear vertical sides f'of the frame F. This construction insuresan elastic longitudinal thrust bearing, with the capability of thelateral movement-of the plates in accord with the lateral movement ofthe draw-bar. The frames F, being subjected to heavy strains, arestrengthened by double braces G, bolted upon said frames and theplatform by means of bolts g and g, as shown.

The outer end of the draw-bar D is formed into a bumper-head, H,composed of three flaring walls, h k If, (shown in end view in Fig. 5,)the outer extremity of the upper and lower flaring walls,h if, beingspread apart sufficient to allow the entrance into the bumper-head of ahook-bar of an adjoining car, whether the adjoining ca-r shall haveeither a high or a low platform. At one side the flaring parts areconnected by a side wall, h, which, near its outer end, is provided witha ratchet-step, h, with which the coupling-hook of the other carengages,while opposite the wall It the bumperhead is left open, assignified in Figs. 3 and 5.

On one side of the draw-bar D a hook-bar, J, is provided, as shown. Thishook-bar has, at its rear end, an oblong boss, j, with rounded endfaces, j, and a central pivot'hole, j The boss j is inserted into theside of the draw-bar and secured thereto by a bolt, 3' as shown. Thisconnection of the draw-bar and hook-bar allows the hook-bar to freelyarticulate vertically-,while it is kept in line with the draw-bar bymeans of two springs, K K, one of which is fastened to the upper and theother to the lower side of the draw-bar, as shown in Fig. 4.

A spring, L, suitably fastened to the platform of the car, bears uponthe outside of the hook-bar J, and thereby holds the draw-bar D againstthe abutting sides of the guides E E E thus keeping the draw-bar in itsnormal position for coupling. The hook-bar J has its front end formedinto a pointed hook, j, which by preference is provided with ahorizontal slot, j andvertical pin-hole j The hook j engages with thestep h of a similar device on another car, while'the slot 9' andpin-hole 9' if occasion should require, will serve for the reception ofan ordinary coupling link and pin to eifect a coupling of two carstogether. A wearing-piece, (Z is interposed between the draw-bar andplatform, whereby the platform is protected against the wear of thedraw-bar.

hen there is aconsiderable difference in the height of the platforms ofcars I propose to make the hook-bar of the lower platform of a bentshape, as shown in Fig. 6, in order to secure its entrance into thecorresponding bumper-head of the higher platform; and by reversing theoutlines or shape of the hookbar it will be equally suitable for thehigher platform.

The bumper-head His left open on one side, as shown, to allow it toswing free from the hook-bar of the adjoining car in the act ofuncoupling. The uncoupling or withdrawal of the hook j" from the step Itis effected by swinging the draw-bar D, with the hook-bar J, laterallyout of their normal position and against the spring L. This is done bymeans of a link, M, which connects the bumper-head H with the lower endof the brakespindle C, said spindle being adapted to swing like ahandlever, as signified in dotted lines in Fig. 5. The upper portion ofthe spindle is of larger diameter than the lower, and forms a step, 0where the lower portion is joined to it. This step c rests upon ahorizontal plate, 0, through which the lower portion of the spindlepasses in such manner as to permit the spindle to be swung laterally. Ata proper height from the platform A, a suitable guide, N, is providedwhich confines the movement of the upper portion of the brake-spindle Oto the proper limits. The lower portion of the brake-spindle isprovided, as usual, with a brakechain, c, which connects with the brakesof the car, and at a proper distance below the chain with a groove, 0 toreceive a loosely-encircling eye, on, of the link M, which eye adaptsitself to the different inclinations of the brake-spindle without losing its hold thereon.

As shown in solid lines, Fig. 3, the bumperhead H is represented in itsnormal position and coupledwith ahook-bar,J, (shown in dotted lines,) ofan adjoining car. This position of the bumper-head is maintained by thepressure of the spring L, while at the same time the hookbar J (shown insolid lines in said figure) is, by the same pressure of the spring L,held in a coupled condition with a bumper-head, H, of the adjoining car,asindicated in dotted lines. During this normal position of thebumperhead it will be seen, by reference to Fig.5,that

the spindle O is maintained in a vertical position by the action of thespring L upon the bumper-head and consequent draft upon thelinkM,attached at one ofits endsto the bumperhead, and at its other endto the foot of the spindle, and that in this condition the spindle issuitably held in position for operating the brakes in the usual manner.When, however, it becomes desirable to uncouple the cars, the spindle Ois used as a lever for such purpose by forcing it from its verticalposition (shown in solid lines) to its oblique position, as shown indotted lines in said figure, thereby drawing the bumper-head H from itsnormal position (shown in solid lines in Fig. 5) to the positionindicated in dotted lines in same figure. In this manner the spindle Gcan be utiiized either for bringing into action the brakes or touncouple, the operator during either act standing upon the platform A.

When two cars provided with my improved couplers are to be coupled toform a train one is moved toward the other. When they meet the hooks jglide over each other, then over the steps it, until the bumper-headscome in contact. When the train is started the hooks j are moved towardthe steps h, with which they become engaged, and so couple the carstogether.

Y WVhen of two cars to be coupled one has a platform higher than that ofthe other, the hook j of the higher platform will, during the act ofcoupling, strike the upper inner flaring surface of the bumper head ofthe other car and glide along such surface down toward the step It, withwhich it will finally engage in an inclined position, as seen in Fig. 1,the hookbar of the other car having the lower platform, will at the sametime strike the lower inner flaring surface of the bumper-head of thehigher platform and glide up along such surface and over the step h,with which it finally engages.

I regulate the play between cars provided with my coupler by having thehook 9' of the draw-bar J project such greater or less distance beyondthe outer extremity of the bumperhead H as will allow the desired amountof play after the coupling of the cars together is effected.

I claim-' 1. In a car-coupler, the combination of a laterally-swingingdraw-bar having a bumperhead, H, composed of three flaring walls, h it71.3, and a step, it, and a horizontally and vertically swinginghook-bar, J, having a hook, 7', substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

2. The brake-spindle O, in combination with mechanical contrivanoeswhereby it may, at its, and a vertical step, h, in combination withoption, be either rotated to bring into action a vertically andhorizontally swinging hookthe brakes of a car or swung obliquely tounbar, J, substantially as and for the purpose couple a car,substantially as described. described.

5 3. The draw-bar D, having a hook-bar, J, Signed in presence of twosubscribing wit- 15 pivoted to it, as at j, in combination with the lnesses.

spring L and springs K K, substantially as EUGENE DELIRA, JR. and forthe purpose described. W'itnesses v 4. The bumper-head H, provided witha slop- F. F. HATHAWAY,

1o ing upper portion, 7L2, a sloping lower portion, WM. REED.

